Serenity
by simply woven
Summary: One-shot Kerry femslash challenge..."In the midst of the chaos ravaging through their bodies and minds and emotions, Kerry found serenity."


**A/N: **Something totally different from me: A challenge I got from the amazing site Passion and Perfection by ralst. It's pretty- no, it's really AU. Enjoy.

**MFC#7**  
**Criteria:** A woman stands in the snow, wearing nothing but her pajamas, and getting kissed breathless - either at the beginning or end of the story.  
**Length:** Any  
**Challenger:** ralst

**BTW:** If you haven't already, check out Passion and Perfection...it's an amazing FemSlash site with multiple fandoms containing incredible stories. **

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** SERENITY**

Kerry had successfully bathed and tucked Henry in with a bedtime story on the side before eight thirty for the first time in what must've been weeks; her schedule, at both the hospital and station, had been playing against both the hours of sleep she was accumulating each night as well as the time she was logging with Henry each day. It wasn't that she was neglecting her son; that wasn't it at all. In all actuality, she was spending more time with him each day without distraction than she had when she was Chief of Staff. However, it was the exact time of the hours she was spending with him that were rickety; she had, on most days, the chance to see him off to preschool around seven thirty then pick him up from his grandparent's at eight that night. In other words, she got to see him off to school when he was still half asleep and pick him up when he was half conked out. She felt guilty- what decent mother wouldn't?-, but she knew that, as a working single mother, there wasn't much she could do about it.

Kerry settled into a hot bath after tucking Henry in; something that, she figured, was one of the best parts about winter; that, along with hot coffee and freshly fallen snow. Letting her mind melt along with her muscles, Kerry let the happenings of the day leave her mind. Serenity was her goal, though she knew she could keep dreaming; serenity was nothing but a mere divine pleasure that she'd have to, she figured, wait until the afterlife to experience. Once the water had cooled and her tenseness had vanished, Kerry stepped out of the bath and dressed in a pair of thick flannel pajamas; a pair she'd only held onto for winter nights like these, when, no matter how high powered one's heating system may be, the bitter cold from the outside finds its way in.

Walking from the bathroom, Kerry headed back out into the dimly lit kitchen where she saw the blinking red light on the phone; a new voicemail. Realizing she must not have heard it ring while she was dozing in the bath, Kerry ambled over and picked up the receiver. Dialing the appropriate numbers, Kerry listened to the robotic tone on the other line,

"You have one new message; received today at, 9:15 p.m." The line switched over to playback, though Kerry heard nothing but silence for a few moments. Then, just as she was about to hang up and check the caller I.D., a quiet, raspy voice broke into verbalization,

"Kerry…hi, …I…I need to talk…to you. I need- I want- I- it's just you, Kerry." The line went dead in sync with the regular beating of Kerry's heart. A concoction of guilt, pain, love, compassion, worry and fear weld up inside her, though she couldn't quite decipher which ones she wanted to- or should- let in. Weighing her options for only an instant, Kerry quickly punched in the cell phone number she knew so well before putting the receiver back down; she didn't want to give in to anymore games. Then again, whether or not this was another one of said games, Kerry couldn't be sure. Shaking off the hesitancy and cynicism, she proceeded to redial the seven digits and held the phone to her ear. The rings- two, three, four, and five- seemed to be mocking her; maybe she was giving in, maybe she shouldn't be calling. Stopping her stream of thought was the click of the other line. She was greeted with deafening silence.

"It's me.." Kerry let out the breath she'd been, unknowingly, holding when she spoke.

"…Kerry…I…" her voice was weak, "I…need you. I can't, I can't- I need you."

Kerry gave in. Or maybe she stepped up.

"Where are you?" Her tone was soft but serious.

"Outside your door." Kerry, unsure as to what was happening, placed the phone on the counter and made her way to the front hallway and peered, from a distance, through the door's window; true enough, there she stood on her front steps, cell phone held up to her ear, staring out into the dark Chicago skyline, white snow falling around her. Before she knew what she was doing, Kerry pulled open the door and stepped out onto the cold cement stair, her small feet completely bare.

Upon hearing the door open, she turned around, startled.

Kerry cupped the younger woman's slight face in her hands, studying the tear tracks and the glistening eyes that'd produced them.

At the contact, the woman shuddered and let out a whimper,

"I'm sorry…I just…" Kerry shook her head and placed her left index finger gently on the women's lips,

"Don't be sorry."

She dropped her head, only to have Kerry pulled it up.

"It's just-"

Kerry quieted her again, this time adding a stroke to the younger woman's numb face.

"Shh…it's okay. Just…" Kerry's words were taken away. Not by the bitter cold, whipping wind or the sudden increase in amount of falling snow; no, instead, soft flesh pressed firmly against her mouth halted her.

She tasted the salt of tears, felt the warmth of breath, and sensed the intensity of the other women's passion all through the pair of thin, pink lips that were pressed into hers.

In the midst of the chaotic emotions ravaging through their bodies and minds, Kerry found serenity.

And she found it in Abby Lockhart.

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**A/N:** I can't believe I just wrote an Abby/Kerry piece. A challenge, nonetheless. This was, obviously, my first shot at something between them. What did you think? Feel free to be harsh.

**P.S.** I had absolutely no background story/plot in mind when writing this, but it does take place inbetween seasons 13 and 15 (had Kerry stayed)...you could probably even say it could be seasons 11 or 12... whatever floats your boat, I suppose.


End file.
